Lip Reader A tallied his 50th career victory as the 12-year-old won the $18,750 Open Handicap Pace on Saturday, Aug. 29 at Batavia Downs.

 Lip Reader A settled in third behind Shoobee Doo A (Gareth Dowse) while post-time chalk Moved Bythe Spirit (Shawn Gray) laid down speedy splits of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.3 as the top three positions never changed to three-quarters. Drew Monti tipped Lip Reader A at that point and started the advance to the front, and his charge drew even with Moved Bythe Spirit on the turn with Shoobee Doo A poised to enter the fray in the passing lane. The three pacers battled into deep stretch, where Lip Reader A got the advantage and the win by a half-length in 1:54.1. Shoobee Doo A was second, followed by Moved Bythe Spirit.

Lip Reader A ($15.80) scored his sixth win of the year in 22 attempts for owners Vogel and Wags Nags LLC and Team Rice Racing LLC. Maria Rice is the trainer of the Sportswriter-Strike Line gelding, who has earned $485,571 in 192 career starts.

In the $18,750 Open Trot, Seventier (Brett MacDonald) came from fourth to score his third straight win.

Seventier got away fourth as the heavily favoured Shine All The Way (Dave McNeight III) led from the start while posting splits of :28.4, :59 and 1:27.4, with Treasured Tee (Drew Monti) drafting in the pocket. As they motored towards turn four, MacDonald had pulled Seventier and was motoring up the rim, making his way to second at the top of the stretch. When they straightened for home, Shine All The Way was under moderate urging and looked strong, but Seventier was loose in the middle of the track and pushed to the front by a half-length in 1:56.2. Treasured Tee finished third.

Seventier ($5.04) took his 10th win of the year in 18 starts for owners El Dorado Stables and Mike Torcello. Sam Smith trains the eight-year-old Chapter Seven-Southwind Cartier gelding, now a 34-time winner from 119 starts with $390,301 in earnings.

Driver Shawn Gray was red hot again on the 13-race Saturday card, getting another grand slam in the bike. Gray won with Kid From The Bronx (1:55.4, $2.64), Just Zip It (1:56.2, $4.38), Avion Seelster (1:54.2, $5.54) and Santana Beach (1:56.4, $28.22), who scored his 62nd lifetime win in 406 starts. 

Trainers Maria Rice, Dave McNeight Jr. and Sam Smith all had two wins apiece. 

Live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Wednesday, Sept. 2 with a final 2026 visit by the New York Sire Stakes that will feature one field of three-year-old trotting colts and geldings vying for $115,500 USD in purse money. Post time has once again been moved up to 4 p.m. for Wednesday, and there will be a $1,216 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the 13th race. 

(With files from Batavia Downs)